Lucas Lasserre stormed from 22nd to fourth in Sunday’s EuroNASCAR PRO race at Autodrom Most – In EuroNASCAR, the driver can make a real difference
Same chassis, same engines, same parts: The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series provides a level playing field for teams and drivers. Money doesn’t make the ultimate difference, it’s the know-how of the team and the skills of the driver. Lucas Lasserre is not only a EuroNASCAR PRO title contender, but also the team owner of Speedhouse. As one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, the Frenchman proved that the driver makes all the difference in Europe’s official NASCAR series.
After a crash in Saturday’s race at the Autodrom Most, Lasserre was forced to start Sunday’s race from 22nd place. Despite the tough situation, the Pau native made the most out of the last EuroNASCAR race of the 2024 NWES season in the Czech Republic. Lasserre, who has been on the grid since 2009, charged from the back of the pack to third under the checkered flag. A penalty dropped him back to fourth, but the Swiss Army Knife of Speedhouse still made it into the top-5, taking advantage of his experience and tires that were in better condition compared to the competition’s rubber.
« I never give up, » said Lasserre. « I push, I concentrate and I work hard. It’s a lot of work to make something like this happen. It’s very important to be consistent and to have a strong crew around you. I can’t do anything without them. I’m lucky to have a great team around me at Speedhouse. Thanks to all my mechanics and the whole crew. On the track you have to focus on your job. You have to push from corner to corner. It’s important to be relaxed and consistent. You have to adapt to every situation on the track and be dedicated to your goal.
« In the end, I had the best car and the fastest lap, » said Lasserre, explaining his strong performance on Sunday. « We were consistent and the car was very stable while overtaking other drivers. Fast, stable and consistent: these were the big points and the key to success. It was a good race, but in the end I made a mistake in the fight with Marc Goossens. It was fair to get a penalty for that. He deserved the podium and I’m just happy for Speedhouse that we made it into the top 5. It was the epitome of the Speedhouse spirit. »
EuroNASCAR is all about parity and the opportunity to run up front. Every driver has the same car and the teams can make the difference by finding the right setup. Therefore, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is a driver and team championship where skills, dedication, hard work, strategy and sometimes a little bit of luck pay off. The philosophy is clear: the series wants to keep costs under control and produce pure racing with exciting door-to-door battles, and that’s why the spec cars work so well. Lasserre proved that the driver is the key and that miracles can happen in NASCAR.
André Wiegold,